Ditching-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-'Sheet 1..

DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 471,834. Patented Mar. 29, 1892.

(No Model.) Y y. a sheets-sheet 2.

. S. STARR.

DITGHING MACHINE,

N0. 471,834. Patented Maf.' 29,1892.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

- S. STARR.

. DITUHING MACHINE. No. 471,834. Patented Mar. 29,1892.

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PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN STARR, OF `WESTON, OHIG.

DITCHINC- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,884, dated March 29, 1892.

' Application tiled July 13, 1891. Serial No. 399,358. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN STARR. a citizen of the United States, residing at Weston, in the county of Wood and State of-Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ditching machines especially intended for tile-ditches; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the plow, the raising and lowering devices therefor, and the' means for regulating 'the depth of cut thereof, and, further, in the peculiar construction of the elevator supporting frame and driving mechanism therefor, and,

further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the draft-pole and attachment. Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal section through my machine. Fig. Itis a vertical cross-section thereof on line a: in Figs'. 1 and 3, looking toward the rear, parts being omitted, and one wheel in elevation and one in section.

Ais the rigid frame, B are the ground-Wheels thereof, which are supported upon the axle C.

D is the tongue rigidly secured to the frame and extending forwardly therefrom. This tongue is provided at the rear end with the depending armD', provided with adjustingholes to receive the strap D2, in which the doubletree D3 is journaled. The doubletree is provided at its end with suitable whiletrees E. The pole at its forward end is provided with a suitable hook E' to receive the doubletree E2. By this construction I am enabled to get theright inclination to the tongue and yet have the horses pull in the most direct manner. In order to brace the arm D', I preferably form the depending arm D with a brace-arm F, as shown in Fig. 3, and with the bracing-frame G extended from the lower end of said arm to the forward end of the pole, so that the draft` upon the arm D' is transmitted longitudinally of the pole.

` Extending rearwardly from the frame A is the elevator-supporting frame H, consisting of bars extending upon each side of the frame within the ground-wheels and carrying at their outer ends the parallel bars H', which are connected at the lower end by the crossbars H2.

I is ashaft journaled in the rear end of the elevator-frame, carrying a sprocket-wheel I', which is driven by means of a sprocket-chain I2, passing over the said sprocket-wheel I' and over the sprocket-wheel J upon the shaft J in the frame, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This shaft carries at its ends the pinions J2, which mesh with the gear-Wheels J5, secured to the inner faces of the ground-wheels B. Suitable clutching devices K5 are provided to connect each pinion J2 with the shaft J', and levers K are provided at each side of the machine to enable the driver to operate either clutch to disengage the shaft and pinions, so that in turning around no damage to the parts will occur. V

K is a frame pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of two of the bars H', and at the forward end to the rear end of a plow L. In this frame K' is a carrier-belt L',

passing over end rollers L2at each end of the frame. Theroller at the outer end of the frame is a live-roller, being driven from the shaft I by means of a sprocket-chain M engaging with the sprocket-wheels M' M2 upon the shaft of said roller and the shaft I, respectiVely.

The plow L is of the type ordinarily known as a fscoop-plow, U-shaped in cross-section,

and is suspended from the frame by means of a chain or cord N,which is centrally connected to the plow, preferably to an arm N', secured to the rear end thereof and extending forwardly. The chain N at its upperfend engages over a winding-drum N2 upon a crankshaft N2, journaled in the frame.

O is a plow-beam, pivoted at its front end near the frontend of the plow and adj ustably secured by means of a bolt O' to the sides of the plow near the rear end thereof. The plow may be adj usted angularly in relation to the beam by placing the bolt O' in any one of the adjusting-apertures O2.

The plow-beam O is provided with the forward extension O2, hinged to the forward end thereof, and this extension is supported at its front end by the gage-bar or standard P,

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extending through a guide-bearing in the rear end of the tongue, in which'it may be secured to any desired height by means of the notches a engaging with the cross-bars b, held in engagement'therewith by means of the key c.

Q is a standard or a gage-harpivotally connected to the forward end of the plow-beam O at the point at which the extension O2' is hinged to said beam. This standard Q passes through a suitable guide-bearing formed in the lever Q', which is hinged at its rear end to the frame, and at its forward end projects through the guide Q2, formed iny the vseatstandard Q2, and is there providedv with a foot-piece R, by means of which it may be raised or lowered by the operator.

R is a seat secured' upon the seat-standard Q3... The standard Q is held in its adjusted position by means of a set-screw in the block R2, through which it passes, said block being located within the st'irrup R2. f The arm N' extends forward at an angle from the rear end of the plow, as plainly shown in Fig. 3, passing through the guide-bearing S in the standard Q.

S' is a spring upon the arm N and located between the shoulder S2 thereon and the rear face of the standard Q.

T is a gage-plate secured at its' upper endl U2 are side plows` arranged in front of the scoop-plow and adapted to cut out the sides of the ditch in advance of the scoop.

The parts being thus constructed, their operation is as follows: To adjust the machine, the plow is lowered by uncoiling the chain from the drum N2, the standard Q being carried with the plow in its downward movement. When thefplow has reached the proper height to dig, the lever Q is raised to about its central position, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it will be free Vto have a movement up and down,` and a set-screw in the block R2 istightened, holding the lever in this position. The forward end of theV extensiony O3 of the plowbeam islowered by means of the gage-bar P, and' the plate T is set to' give the desired thickness of cut. `ward,`InotionV will be imparted to thecarrier through the connections described, and such earth as passes over the plow will fall upon the-endless belt L', and thereon be carried to the top ofV the carrier and fall upon the ininclined chute V,.which will deposit it upon one side of the ditch. When the ditcher has As the ditcher is moved forcompleted one cut, the parts are lowered farther to make a second cut, and so on, until the'ditch has been cut to the desired depth. Should the driver encounter stones or other obstacles which he desires to avoid, he' can lift the forward end of the plow by raising on the lever Q and in hard ground can keep the points of the plow in the ground by pressing on the outer end of said lever. The plow is held naturally in its inclined position from the fact that it rides at its rear end upon the shoe U2, and it may be turned to a greater or less angle by adjusting the plow-beam, as previously described. The lowering of the plow swings the bars I-l' forwardly in the arc of a circle, and thus maintains the same'relation between the sprocket-wheels M2, M', and L2. Thus, regardless of the depth of the ditch, the parts will operate satisfactorily. Whenthe plow is depressed by the lever Q', the spring S' is put under tension and tends to return the plow to its normal position. This spring prevents damage to the plow by yielding in case obstacles are struck, and helps to maintain a steady draft without shocks or jolts upon the horses. The gage-bar P enables me to arrange the plow-beam substantially inline with the plow or at any desired angle therewith, so that the draft may be transmitted as nearly direct as possibleto-the pole. The laterally-extending bar W is adj ustably secured at W5 to the standard Q and carries at its outer end a sight W', loosely hun-g thereto.

This sight is preferably made of sheet metal of suitable size, and rests with its lower edge upon the wire W2, stretched beside the ditch at the proper grade. In case the plow cuts unevenly they sight will be turned upon its pivot and indicate to the driver whether to i press down or raiseV up upon the lever Q to get the proper grade` in' the ditch.

What I claim as my invention is-` l. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the frame and plow, of means for suspending the plow from the rear of the frame, a jointed beam pivotally connected with the plow and adj ustably connected with thefront of the frame, and an adjustable standard pivotally secured to the plow and beam at the pivotal union thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a ditching-plow, the combination, with i the frameand plow, of means for suspending 1 the plow from the rear of the framea jointed beam pivotally connected with the plow and ,adjustably connected with the front of the frame, an adjustable standard, and a lever on 'the frame for actuatingv the' standard, substantially as described.

3. In a` ditching-machine, the combination of the rigid wheeled frame,.a depending cord or chain, a plow suspended at or near its middlel by said chain, any adjustable standard, and an adjustable beam secured tothe forward end of said plow, and to which the adj ustable standard is pivoted, substantially as described.

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4. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the frame of a plow suspended from the rear thereof, of a jointed beam pivotally connected with the front of the plow, means for adjusting said beam, an adjustable standard connected with the front of the plow at the pivotal nnion between the beam and plow, means for adj usting the standard, and a spring engaging the standard and carried by the plow, substantially as described.

5. In a ditching-machine, the combination of the rigid wheeled frame, a depending chain or cord, a plow suspended at or near its iniddle by said chain, a standard for the forward end of the plow, extending below the connection between the chain and plow, an arm on the plow, a spring on the arm engaging the standard above the lowermost end thereof, and means for vertically adjustingsaid standard and chain, substantiallv as described.

6. In a ditching-machine, the combination of the frame, the suspended plow, the jointed plow-beam, and the adjustable bars Q and P, substantially as described.

7. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the vertically-adjustable plow, of the rearwardly-extending bars H, secured to the frame, the bars H', depending from said bars, the elevator supported at one end by the plow with the plow, of the plow-beam, the plate T, Aconnected'by a spring-arm with the plowbeam, and the adjusting-screw T', substantially as described. Y

10. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the frame of a plow, of an adjustable standard for the plow, an independently-adjustable bar on the standard extending out horizontally beyond lthe frame, and a sight hinged to said bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. STEPHEN STARR. Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY,

A. L. HOBBIE. 

